5 ~ The Depth of Talent of our entire Front 7 ~ because our Dragoons can move to the Flanks, and because both our Sam and our Will can play the Mike ~ is astonishing.

6 ~ Being able to boast the aggregate Pass Rushing Ferocity and Run Defending Tenacity of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, and Justin Francis on one roster is absolutely mind-boggling. Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that it was Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta Cain, and a bucket of spit???

7 ~ As awesome as Willie McGinest, Teddy Bruschi, and Mike Vrabel were, this group ~ Donta HighTower, Brandon Spikes, and Jerod Mayo ~ is fully capable of attaining their level in the next couple of years.

8 ~ If "Young & Talented, yet Experienced" is the best of all worlds ~ and it is ~ then this Defense will rapidly become the envy of the entire League ~ indeed, of the entire Belichickian Dynasty, when all is said and done, I believe. This Defense is deeper than it's ever been.

The "ReBoot", at long last...is complete.

Let the Chicken Littles quote statistics from 2011.

I'm here to say: This Defense ~ the 2012 Defense, and beyond ~ will prove to be of such explosive, disruptive, marauding Excellence...that it will be capable of carrying this team, if needs be, to a Championship.

5 ~ The Depth of Talent of our entire Front 7 ~ because our Dragoons can move to the Flanks, and because both our Sam and our Will can play the Mike ~ is astonishing.

6 ~ Being able to boast the aggregate Pass Rushing Ferocity and Run Defending Tenacity of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, and Justin Francis on one roster is absolutely mind-boggling. Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that it was Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta Cain, and a bucket of spit???

7 ~ As awesome as Willie McGinest, Teddy Bruschi, and Mike Vrabel were, this group ~ Donta HighTower, Brandon Spikes, and Jerod Mayo ~ is fully capable of attaining their level in the next couple of years.

8 ~ If "Young & Talented, yet Experienced" is the best of all worlds ~ and it is ~ then this Defense will rapidly become the envy of the entire League ~ indeed, of the entire Belichickian Dynasty, when all is said and done, I believe. This Defense is deeper than it's ever been.

The "ReBoot", at long last...is complete.

Let the Chicken Littles quote statistics from 2011.

I'm here to say: This Defense ~ the 2012 Defense, and beyond ~ will prove to be of such explosive, disruptive, marauding Excellence...that it will be capable of carrying this team, if needs be, to a Championship.

Click to expand...

I hope you're right. For now, I just want to see them play well against Tennessee today.

5 ~ The Depth of Talent of our entire Front 7 ~ because our Dragoons can move to the Flanks, and because both our Sam and our Will can play the Mike ~ is astonishing.

6 ~ Being able to boast the aggregate Pass Rushing Ferocity and Run Defending Tenacity of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, and Justin Francis on one roster is absolutely mind-boggling. Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that it was Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta Cain, and a bucket of spit???

7 ~ As awesome as Willie McGinest, Teddy Bruschi, and Mike Vrabel were, this group ~ Donta HighTower, Brandon Spikes, and Jerod Mayo ~ is fully capable of attaining their level in the next couple of years.

8 ~ If "Young & Talented, yet Experienced" is the best of all worlds ~ and it is ~ then this Defense will rapidly become the envy of the entire League ~ indeed, of the entire Belichickian Dynasty, when all is said and done, I believe. This Defense is deeper than it's ever been.

The "ReBoot", at long last...is complete.

Let the Chicken Littles quote statistics from 2011.

I'm here to say: This Defense ~ the 2012 Defense, and beyond ~ will prove to be of such explosive, disruptive, marauding Excellence...that it will be capable of carrying this team, if needs be, to a Championship.

Click to expand...

It's really incredible to see how a defense can be almost totally rebuilt through the draft.
DE- Jones, Cunningham, Bequetter
DT- Brace, (Love-UDFA)
LB- Hightower, Spikes (Mayo but longer ago)
CB- McCourty, Dowling, Dennard
S- Chung, Wilson, Ebner
Those are just the last 3 drafts.
The only major contributors on defense that are not on that list are Wilfork and Gregory.

Of course the plan can either prove to be a success or failure depending upon how they play.

While there will be certain growing pains involved, this is the first time in more than 5 years that I am excited about the Patriots defense. I hope that this is the first game among many in years where 3 and out is the rule, rather than the exception for the Patriots defense.

While there will be certain growing pains involved, this is the first time in more than 5 years that I am excited about the Patriots defense. I hope that this is the first game among many in years where 3 and out is the rule, rather than the exception for the Patriots defense.

Click to expand...

3 and out as a rule is setting the bar unreasonably high. That would mean more than half the possessions have zero first downs, which just doesn't happen.

The average NFL offense put up about 330 yards, 20 first downs, and completed over 20 passes a game throwing for 225 yards.
This isn't the 70s, every offense can move the ball against every defense, the rules almost preclude totally shutting down an offense.

Depends on your definition. Based on the big picture, keeping points off the board, and winning or losing, they have been pretty good or better for quite some time.
If your definition is statistical rankings, that 'pretty good' may not actually produce any better results.

Personally, if we get out to a 21 point lead and Locker throws for 400 yards mostly in garbage time, like Henne did last year, I won't much care. a W is a W.

Depends on your definition. Based on the big picture, keeping points off the board, and winning or losing, they have been pretty good or better for quite some time.
If your definition is statistical rankings, that 'pretty good' may not actually produce any better results.

Personally, if we get out to a 21 point lead and Locker throws for 400 yards mostly in garbage time, like Henne did last year, I won't much care. a W is a W.

Click to expand...

My definition is not watching games while wondering how I became like the early 2000's Colts fans I used to laugh at.

I expect the D to still start slow. While there were flashes in preseason, I expect there to still be growing pains. As long as the d continues to improve from week 1 to week 17 I will be happy. I don't expect the secondary to be as bad as last year, only because the pass rush I think will improve, and an average secondary can look good when a QB is running for his life.

3 and out as a rule is setting the bar unreasonably high. That would mean more than half the possessions have zero first downs, which just doesn't happen.

The average NFL offense put up about 330 yards, 20 first downs, and completed over 20 passes a game throwing for 225 yards.
This isn't the 70s, every offense can move the ball against every defense, the rules almost preclude totally shutting down an offense.

Click to expand...

I understand my exaggerated emphasis; just looking forward to these new times when 3 and out have a decent chance of occurring, rather than seeing 3rd and long get regularly turned into 1st downs by the opposition.

I expect the D to still start slow. While there were flashes in preseason, I expect there to still be growing pains. As long as the d continues to improve from week 1 to week 17 I will be happy. I don't expect the secondary to be as bad as last year, only because the pass rush I think will improve, and an average secondary can look good when a QB is running for his life.

Click to expand...

I don't know if I agree with the starting slow concept. I totally understand where you are coming from, but really, starting slow would come from inexperience, and moreso from blown plays due to inexperience.
Jones, Hightower as starters and Dowling and Wilson as primary subs have inexperience issues, but I don't see blown coverages or mass confusion happening.
I think there is no question the defense is much more athletic, and has more players capable of dominating individual battles than in many years.
I think the starting slow would come from mental mistakes early on, and I'm pretty confident the combination of veterans mixed in with the youth, and the quality of coaching will keep that from being a problem.

I understand my exaggerated emphasis; just looking forward to these new times when 3 and out have a decent chance of occurring, rather than seeing 3rd and long get regularly turned into 1st downs by the opposition.

Click to expand...

Yeah, probably took you too literally, but one of my frustrations is that fans complain so much about things that are virtually unpreventable from happening.
EVERY sack alllowed is a sign of sucking. EVERY 3rd down conversion means the D blows. EVERY failed drive means the OC stinks. A corner can't allow a single completion to a 100 catch WR or they stink, etc, etc.
Not directed at you, just brought to my attention by your post.

5 ~ The Depth of Talent of our entire Front 7 ~ because our Dragoons can move to the Flanks, and because both our Sam and our Will can play the Mike ~ is astonishing.

6 ~ Being able to boast the aggregate Pass Rushing Ferocity and Run Defending Tenacity of Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, and Justin Francis on one roster is absolutely mind-boggling. Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that it was Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta Cain, and a bucket of spit???

7 ~ As awesome as Willie McGinest, Teddy Bruschi, and Mike Vrabel were, this group ~ Donta HighTower, Brandon Spikes, and Jerod Mayo ~ is fully capable of attaining their level in the next couple of years.

8 ~ If "Young & Talented, yet Experienced" is the best of all worlds ~ and it is ~ then this Defense will rapidly become the envy of the entire League ~ indeed, of the entire Belichickian Dynasty, when all is said and done, I believe. This Defense is deeper than it's ever been.

The "ReBoot", at long last...is complete.

Let the Chicken Littles quote statistics from 2011.

I'm here to say: This Defense ~ the 2012 Defense, and beyond ~ will prove to be of such explosive, disruptive, marauding Excellence...that it will be capable of carrying this team, if needs be, to a Championship.

Click to expand...

I certainly hope you're right, and I'm as excited about the defense as you are.

For anyone who questions how quickly a defense can go form terrible to elite, and how much rookies can have an impact, just look at the 2010 vs. 2011 Houston Texans defense:

- The 2010 team had the worst pass defense in history. That team gave up 26.7 PPG (29th overall), 377 YPG (30th overall), 267.5 YPG passing (32nd overall), produced 30 sacks, forced 24 turnovers, and allowed opposing teams to convert 40% of 3rd down attempts (tied for 23rd overall).

- The additions of rookies JJ Watt and Brooks Reed and the return of Connor Barwin (on IR in 2010) plus the addition of FA CB Jonathan Joseph and the switch to a 3-4 defense transformed them into an elite unit, despite losing Mario Williams to injury after 5 games. The 2011 defense gave up 17.4 PPG (4th overall), 285.7 YPG (2nd overall), 189.7 YPG passing (3rd overall), produced 44 sacks (6th overall), forced 30 turnovers, and allowed opposing offenses to convert on 36% of 3rd down attempts (tied for 12th overall).

Obviously, the 2012 Pats' D has to walk the walk. But the talent is in place to produce potentially the best defense since 2004. It's a very young group, but so were the 2011 Texans. There's a ton of talent at all 3 levels of the defense, inside and out, with about half a dozen guys who could potentially be impact players. We'll have to see how it goes, but it's hard not to get excited.